Means for vaporizing hydrocarbon fuel



June 16, 1931. I. E. ASKE MEANS FOR VAPORIZING HYDROCARBON FUEL Filed May 2. 1922 INVENTOR.

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ATTORVEY I Patented June .16, 1931 I PATENT OFFICE]- IRVING E. ASKE, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA MEANS FOR VAPOEIZING HYDROCARIBON FUEL Application fiiedymay 2, 1922. .SerialNo. 557,832.

My invention relatesto method and means for. vaporizing hydro-carbon fuel, and has for its object the-provision of a method and means for diverting or deflecting liquid globules of hydro-carbonfuelfrom the main stream of mixed vapor and liquidand for breaking up or vaporizingosaid deflected or diverted globules and returning the vapor thus created to said main stream. It has fora further object the provision of means for stratifying the hydro-carbon fuel in passage from the carburetor to the cylinder, and for-breaking up and vaporizing relatively dense strataof said fuel without ma- '15 terially affecting the lightest strata thereof.

It has for a' further object the provision of a manifold embodying a pro-heating device external to the principal fuel passage in said manifold, but exposed'thereto. Ithas for a further object the enlargement of a portion of the fuel passage of a manifold, and the division of such enlarged portion into parallel connecting chambers directed longitudinally of said manifold by the interposition 25. of a vaporizing screen between said chambers.- ,Heretofore vaporizing screens or preheaters have been interposed transversely of the principal passage through the mani- 7 fold, thus requiring the whole stream of fuelto pass through thennincluding the, fuel Qalready, vaporized as well as the denser particles, or liquid globules. Such pr or method requires the expenditure ofa comparatively large amount of electrlc current, if the current is applied continuously. But while it is desirable at all times to preheat or otherwise break up the liquid globules of fuel flowing through the manifold, it is not necessary after the engine is running warm- 4e ly, to materially pre-heat the stream of previously vaporized fuel. Further, it is undesirable, if avoidable, to interpose a retarding screen in the channel of the previously vaporized fuel. One of the objects of my in vention is, therefore, to save electric current by using only so much as is necessary to break up and vaporize the liquid globules of fuel. Another object is to bring said liquid globules into contact with the vaporso izer without interposing a retarding screen stream passage.

any suitable constructiomand may comprise in themainchannel ofithe previously vaporized fuel. Withthese and other objects in view, my invention, consists of the structure,v

combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafterdescribed and'claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. '1 is a side elevation of a, portion of the manifold between the carburetor and power:cylinder of an internal explosion engine, showingmy invention With the hereinafter described vaporizer removed. Fig. 2 is a reduced central vertical longitudinal section of my invention. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a screen frame formlngpart of said vaporizer. of said screen. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section on the line A-B of Fig. 1'. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of said screen frame. Fig. 8' is a front elevation of said screen. Fig. 9 is aside elevation of an in- 1*. Formed on said manifold is va housing ber 1 open at one side, as at 1 for the rea or saddle 1", containing a vaporizer cham- Fig..5 is a side elevation .70 sulating case containing said screen. Fig.

ception of a vaporizer X. Said chamber also opens downwardly ,into said main The vaporizer m'ay be of a heating element including a frame 2, provided with a central aperture 2. and wound inanysuitable manner across said aperture with wires 3 and& preferably connected in parallel to form a heating screen orscreens, the groovesin said frame and the spaces between the wires from the periphery of said aperture to the outer edges of said frame-being preferably filled with cement. Said heating element is positioned in an insulat-' ingfcase comprising the front and back recessed covers 5 and 6, having central apertures 5 and 6 adapted to register with the aperture 2 of said heating element, into which case extend binding posts 7 and 8 to the inner ends of which the terminals of the wires 3 and 4 are respectively secured in any suitable manner, as by solder. Said vaporizer is inserted in said housing, and the outer opening into said housing is then closed by a cover 9, of any suitable material, through which said binding posts are adapted to extend. Said cover is preferably formed on or secured to the vaporizer, so that when said housing cover is removed from the housing the "vaporizer will be withdrawn by it. It will be observed that a considerable portion of the area of said vaporizer is preferably spaced from the for--- ward wall and from the overhead wall of said housing, whereby free circulation and flowa'ge room for hydrocarbons and gases over and forward of said vaporizer is asfl'orded.

An apertured boss 10, is preferably formed on the top of said housing, with which a primer of any suitable constructicm may be connected for the purpose of injecting a priming charge of fuel into said chamber and upon said heater. The occasional need of choking the carburetor in order to secure a priming charge of rich fuel when starting the engine may thus be avoided.

' In operation, the major part of the lighter gases or vaporized hydrocarbons are drawn directly through the main stream passage without assing through said vaporizer or into said ousing chamber, said lighter gases vising through the vertical limb of said manifold and turning sharply into the horizontal limb thereof and flowing along the lower levels thereof,- While the liquid globules are thrown upward to the upper levels and against orthrough the vaporizer when they are broken up and vaporized by the heated wires of the vaporizer, or in some degree even by the impact with the cold wires in case the electric heating current is turned off. The vapor thus created by said vaporizer is then drawn down from said housingchamber, or from the face of said va orizer, into the main stream.

f desired, the aperture 2 may also be filled with cement after said screen wires have been wound on said frame, so as to form a bafile plate heater, against which the I globules of oil will be violently thrown and vaporized, the vapor being deflected back into themain, stream. This method has the advantage of increasing the absorbtive area of cement, which has been found to absorb a considerable amount of oil when 0001 or while cooling and to expel said oil as vapor as soon as the wires becomea little heated. In such case, however, enough space is preferably left over and around the edges of said vaporizer to permit a little circulation of fuel above said vaporizer.

Thus a large part of the vapor passes through said main stream passage without comprising an L-shaped gaseous fuel conduit having a discharge port and an intake port, an enlarged chamber located adjacent to the'bend and formed on the upper wall of the conduit leading from the bend to the discharge port, said chamber having no part of the same projecting into the conduit, an

electric heated element mounted wholly within the chamber, said element being spaced from the back wall and from the side wall of the chamber nearest the discharge port ofthe conduit, whereby the condensed particles of fuel in the fuel stream are thrown laterally against the electric heated element to be vaporized and be returned to the fuelstream.

2. A fuel vaporizing and mixing device comprisin an inverted L-shaped conduit having a uel intake port in one of its arms and a fuel discharge port in'the other of its arms, ofa chamber located adjacent the bend and formed on the wall of the discharge arm of the conduit approximately oppositesaid intake arm, an electrically heated element mounted within said chamber and disposed approximately at a right angle to the intake arm of said conduit, said element being spaced from the back wall of said chamber, whereby condensed particles of fuel are thrown laterally of the stream in the discharge arm and against said heating element to be vaporized and returned to the fuel stream.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

IRVING E. ASKE. 

